How serious is the terror threat?

When the State Department ordered the closure of U.S. diplomatic posts due to an al-Qaeda threat on Friday, a spokeswoman called the move a "precautionary measure." However, when the closures were extended through the next week, pols and defense experts were quick to weigh in on just how seriously they were taking the threat. In a Sunday-show roundup, POLITICO takes the pulse on how pols are viewing the threat:

Former NSA and CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden

“The announcement itself may also be designed to interrupt Al Qaeda planning,” Hayden said on “Fox News Sunday," "to put them off stride, to put them on the back foot, to let them know that we’re on at least to a portion of this plotline.”